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The Life and Passion of Cyprian, Bishop and Martyr. By Pontius the Deacon

Pontius the Deacon

Section 19

About this work

Author: Pontius the Deacon

19. His passion being thus accomplished,

it

resulted

that

Cyprian

,

who

had

been

an

example

to

all

good

men

,

was

also

the

first

who

in

Africa

imbued

his

priestly

crown

with

blood

of

martyrdom

,

because

he

was

the

first

who

began

to

be

such

after

the

apostles

.

For

from

the

time

at

which

the

episcopal

order

is

enumerated

at

Carthage

,

not

one

is

ever

recorded

,

even

of

good

men

and

priests

,

to

have

come

to

suffering

.

Although

devotion

surrendered

to

God

is

always

in

consecrated

men

reckoned

instead

of

martyrdom

;

yet

Cyprian

attained

even

to

the

perfect

crown

by

the

consummation

of

the

Lord

;

so

that

in

that

very

city

in

which

he

had

in

such

wise

lived

,

and

in

which

he

had

been

the

first

to

do

many

noble

deeds

,

he

also

was

the

first

to

decorate

the

insignia

of

his

heavenly

priesthood

with

glorious

gore

.

What

shall

I

do

now

?

Between

joy

at

his

passion

,

and

grief

at

still

remaining

,

my

mind

is

divided

in

different

directions

,

and

twofold

affections

are

burdening

a

heart

too

limited

for

them

.

Shall

I

grieve

that

I

was

not

his

associate

?

But

yet

I

must

triumph

in

his

victory

.

Shall

I

triumph

at

his

victory

?

Still

I

grieve

that

I

am

not

his

companion

.

Yet

still

to

you

I

must

in

simplicity

confess

,

what

you

also

are

aware

of

,

that

it

was

my

intention

to

be

his

companion

.

Much

and

excessively

I

exult

at

his

glory

;

but

still

more

do

I

grieve

that

I

remained

behind

.

Notes

15
[He was the first of the province, that is. See p. 273, supra.]
16
The simple attire of Hippolytus, as seen in his statue, was doubtless what is here meant by insignia. But see Hermas, vol. ii. p. 12.]